The North Bay Battalion added a goal scorer from Russia and a defenceman from Austria during Thursday’s proceedings at the annual CHL Import Draft that took place today online between all the CHL teams.
The Troops, who had the 27th selection, took left winger Egor Postnov from Capitan Stupino of the Russian Junior League (MHL).
The 6’0”, 156-pound forward who was left undrafted in the NHL Entry Draft but was ranked the 79th best European player by NHL Central Scouting, had 17 goals and 12 assists 29 points in 63 games last season.
Adam Dennis, Battalion assistant general manager, ran the draft for the Battalion.
He says the 18-year-old was like many Battalion NHL draft-eligible players, who just missed on being drafted last week in Dallas.
"He is a winger who is very skilled, likes to shoot the puck and he goes to the net really hard, enjoys scoring goals and I think he is going to be fun to watch next year," said Dennis.
See Postnov video highlights here:
Meantime, the Battalion added defenceman David Maier with the 87th overall pick in the second round of the draft.
The 5’11’, 156-pound right-hand shot defender Had 3 goals and 11 assists for 14 points in 13 games in the Euro One junior league, and in Euro two he collected one goal along with seven assists for eight points in nine games with Sodertalje SK in Sweden.
That pick was technically much higher as 17 teams passed on their second choice.
Dennis says he was familiar with Maier through some of his contact in Austria.
"I was watching one of his fellow teammates at the Under-20 by the name of Marco Rossi, and just fell in love with David," said Dennis.
"He has been raised in the Austrian and Swedish system. I think he is going to fit in well into our system with some of the guys we have had in the past here. He really likes to jump into the play, he’s a good skater and I think he is going to be a nice surprise in the second round."
North Bay had one import in 2017-18 in Swedish defenceman Adam Thilander, who will play in his native country next season as a 20-year-old.
Czech centre Filip Chytil, who was selected by the NHL’s New York Rangers days before the 2017 CHL Import Draft, spent the season with them and the affiliated Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League and never was assigned to the Battalion.
